Expression-controlling device for pneumatic players



, F.I.CLARK. I EXPRESSION CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 5.1917- 1 3 1 5 2 1 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

Mow/y r m comma PLANOORAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

F. J. CLARK.

EXPRESSION CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC PLAYERS. APPLICATION FILED JAN.5. I9I7.

1 ,3 5,2 1 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

B I IdZ/VyOUI $4 uff. v 7

@UXOWW F. J. CLARK.

EXPRESSION CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATiC PLAYERS. APPLICATION HLED mas. |9 |1.

1 ',3 1 5,2 1 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

% E w E E s8 1 w v a M x Q v L s I R \L- F. J. CLARK. EXPRESSION cormoume DEViCE FOR PNEUMATIC PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED. MN. 5.19I7.

1,315,212. PatentedSept.9,1919.

. 1 mains-sum 4.

1' 1r coumnm vLANoanAvrl co, WASHINGTON, D. c.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. CLARK, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES C. ARTHUR, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

EXPRESSION-CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC PLAYERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and resident. of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expression-Controlling Devices for Pneumatic Players; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in expression controlling devices for pneumatic piano players, operable either by varying the amount of power applied to the hammers of the piano or by varying the length of throw of the hammers whereby in each instance to vary the amount of force applied to the strings and consequently the volume of sound produced.

One important. feature of my invention is the provision of a dynamics controlling device which is instantly responsive with respect to eliminating the provision of intermediate actuating mechanisms between the initial actuating means and the hammer. A

second important feature is the provision of a dynamics controlling device whereby the force of the hammer blows may be increased or decreased at will immediately to any desired degree in contradistinction to various existing devices involving step by step movements to procure desired controlling positions. A third important feature is the provision of a dynamics controlling device which may be held in any desired controlling position automatically upon actuation to such position.

I am aware that the above recited features are severally compassed in various heretofore contemplated devices. Therefore the primary object of my invention resides essentially in the combination of all the aforerecited features in a single compact and efficient controlling device whereby an exceedingly ready operation thereof may be procured to effect substantially the result attained by manual pedal control of the hammer rest rail or other expression control means.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide an auxiliary control means associatedwith what may be termed a main fixed control means, and which is oper-- ative only during the length of operation of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 19.19

Application filed January 5, 1917. Serial No. 140,690.

its actuating means, whereby to provide for momentary accenting variations of the dynamics, it being further an object to utilize this auxiliary control means to procure intermediate degrees of expression when my improved device is used in connection with conventional types of music rolls now on the market and adapted more particularly for use in connection' with dynamics controlling devices involving a limited number of step by step actuations.

More particularly in connection with that type of player pianos wherein the vacuum is procured by a suitable motor it is a further object to provide an exceedingly sensitive means for varying the degree of vacuum applied to the hammer actuating mechanisms whereby the force imparted to said mechanisms may be instantly and positively varied to an exact desired degree. A further object in this connection resides in the provision of an exceedingly simple and readily operated arrangement for procuring a'maximum actuating force to procure a maximum loudness of tone commonly termed a crash.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the main power bellows of my invention and the associated valve mechanisms.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the valve mechanisms on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the common vacuum chamber for the valves.

'Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1 through the valve mechanism for expanding the bellows.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1 through the valve mechanism for collapsing the bellows.

Fig. 5 is a view showing my improved controlling bellows associated with a hammer rest-rail forv controlling the position thereof relative to the strin Fig. 6 is a view showing my invention associated with the main vacuum duct of the player mechanisms and more particularly adapted for use in connection with electric or other power means for procuring the vacuum.

Fig. 7 is a view partly in section showing my invention associated with a modified means for controlling the vacuum for the player mechanisms, this modified means being disposed in the usual governor box, and the plane of section of the governor box be ing indicated by the line 77 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the governor box on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a partly diagrammatic view showing the relation of my expression controlling mechanism to the tracker-bar and music roll.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 1 of the accompanying drawings, my improved expression controlling device comprises a main bellows 10 including a movable leaf 11 and a fixed leaf 12 and which may be associated either directly with a hammer rest-rail or with a valve in the main vacuum passage of the hammer actuated mechanisms. This bellows is normally urged to expanding position by a spring 13 and on the outer side of the fixed leaf 12 of.the bellows is disposed a commom vacuum chamber let for the expansion and contraction means of the bellows.

For contracting the bellows against the action of the spring 13, the fixed leaf 12 is provided with a well 15 opening into the common vacuum chamber 1 1 and covered by a'flexible diaphragm 16 to which is secured the stem of a cylindrical valve 17 adapted to seat selectively at its ends against inner and outer valve seats 18 and 19 respectively disposed at the end portions of a bore in the outer wall of the common vacuum chamber. From the space between the valve seats 18 and 19, a passage 20 leads laterally in the wall to a valve chamber 21 from whence a passage 22 extends into the bellows. Disposed in the chamber 21 is a check valve 23 resiliently urged by a spring 2 1 to close the passage 22 against inward flow of air. The outlet flow of air through the passage 22 is adjustably controlled by a screw valve 25 threaded in the fixed leaf 12 and projecting into the said passage,

although it will be appreciated that any de sired means may be provided for adjusting the outlet flow. For actuating the valve 17, a duct 26 extends from the well 15 and is adapted for communication with a suitable slot in the tracker-bar of the piano, whereby it will be selectively opened and closed by slots in the music roll, although it will be appreciated that manual means for opening and closing this duct may be provided. The usual by-pass 27 is provided between the well and main vacuum chamber, and in Fig. 2 a cap 28 is disposed over the outlet mouth of a passage 10 to determine its exact desired capacity. From the main vacuum chamber a pipe 29 extends to the main pump of the player mechanism.

The duct 26 being normally closed either by the music roll or by other means in manual operation, the vacuums of the well 15 and main vacuum chamber 11 are equalized,

,and as shown in the drawings, the diaphragm will collapse into the well and the valve 17 engage on the seat 18 by reason of the atmospheric pressure at its outer end. Thus in the operation of contracting the bellows, the duct 26 is opened to admit air under atmospheric pressure to the well 15. This distends the diaphragm by reason of the lesser pressure in the main vacuum chamber, depressing the valve 17 to engage on the seat 19. A free flow of air through the passage and the main vacuum chamber is then permitted and the suction in said chamber will draw air from the bellows to compress it. This compressing movement obviously continues as long as atmospheric air is admitted to the well 15 and thus by the provision of slots of relatively different lengths in the music roll different degrees of compression of the bellows may be had to procure different degrees of expression and thus any desired degree of expression may be procured. Upon closing the duct 26, the vacuums in the well 15 and cormnon chamber 14 will. become equalized and the valve 17 will engage on the seat 18 to thus cut of]? the vacuum with respect to the bellows and the check valve will instantly seat to close the passage 22 and to prevent ingress of atmospheric air to the bellows through the seat 19 which is then opened.

For procuring an expanding movement of said bellows, aavell 80 is formed in the fixed leaf similar to the well 15. and is closed by afiexible diaphragm 31 to which is secured a valve actuating stem slidable in a bushing 33 in the outer wall of the common vacuum chamber. Formed in one side wall of the chamber is a bellows inlet passage 34 and for normally closing this inlet passage a bar valve 35 loosely secured to the outer side of the outer wall of the common vacuum chamber by a. screw 36 and is resiliently urged against said'wall by a spring 37, this valve bar being suitably faced to procure an efficient sealing of the passage. The valve bar is extended inwardly of the wall and its inner end. is bifurcated for engagement of a guide pin 38 and is engageable by the valve pin 82, whereby it may be rocked on the screw 36 to opeirtlie passage 34, it being noted that considerable leverage is a'lforded the pin 32 whereby to procure ready opening movement of the bar. A duct 39 extends from the well 30 to a music roll or other control means as set forth in connection with the duct 26. and the usual by-pass 10 is provided between the well 30 and the common vacuum chamber 14.

Thus, to procure expandingmovement' of the bellows the duct 39 is opened'admitting atmospheric air to the well 30 vand consequently depressingthe valve pin 32 to rock the valve bar open and permit ingress of airthe expression, or striking force imparted to the hammers, it being of course understood that by moving the rest-rail the distance through which the hammers travel isvar'ied,

while in controlling the vacuum, the actual force imparted to the hammers is-varied to thus procure equal variations in the striking momentum.

It is further noted that the bellows are permanently retained in any desired c0ntrol'- ling position automatically upon actuation to such position, and that the bellows may be expanded or contracted at will with any desired degree of movement in contra-distinction to definite step by step actuations of those types of controlling mechanisms heretofore contemplated, having means for holding the bellows in desired position.

In addition to a normal expression control, it is often desired to provide a momentary accent of expression and to accomplish this in my device, a third well 42 is vided in the fixed leaf 12 0f the bellows and disposed over this well is a diaphragm 43 to which is secured the stem of a cylindrical valve 44 disposed in a bore of the outer wall of the main vacuum chamber and adapted for selective engagement of its ends with inner and outer valve seats 45 and 46 respectively. An auxiliary bellows 47 is carried on the outer portion of the movable leaf 11 of the main bellows and the movable leaf 11 of the main bellows and the movable leaf of the said auxiliary bellows have secured thereto an actuating arm 48 which may be connected in any desired direct manner to a rest bar or vacuum control valve. bellows is normally held expanded by a spring 49 and the'interior of the bellows is connected by a duct 50 withthe space be-. tween the valve seats 45Vand 46. Communicatingwith the well 42 is the usual controlling duct 51. 1

Thus in operation, admission of air 7 through the duct 5l'will depress the valve 44 to procure vacuum communication with the auxiliary bellows '49: and consequently This depress saidbellows, upon closing the duct 51 the bellows are immediately expanded inasmuch as atmospheric air will then pass through the valve seat 46 thereinto; I

In F ig. 5, my improved expression device minus the auxiliary bellows 49 just mentioned is shown associated with an auxiliary hammer rest-rail 52, the main rest-rail 53 being not used in this instance, and it is noted that the hammer 34 seats against both rails in their normal retracted position to procure a maximum loudness of tone. This auxiliary hammer rail is carried by one arm of a-pivoted angle lever 55 and the other arm of the lever is apertured for the recep tion of a link 56 pivoted directly to the movable leaf 11 ofthe bellows 10. The link is adjustably connected with the lever in the usual manner by nuts 57 threaded on the link at the sides of the lever. In Rig. 6 the main bellows 10 has the auxiliary momentary accenting bellows 47 attached thereto and both are associated with a vacuum controlling valve adapted more particularly for use in connection with pianos wherein the operating vacuum is procuredby a suitable motor. In this construction a casing 58 is disposed in the main vacuum duct 59 and is provided with an inlet port 60 about which is disposed a screen casing 61 slidably supporting the stem 62 of a valve 63 adapted'to seat against the outer wall of the casing to close the inlet port. The valve stem is adjustably connected by means of nuts 64 threaded thereon with one end of a leaf spring 65 which has its other end secured to the operating arm 48 of the auxiliary bellows.

'In the operation of this arrangement the suction within the casing 58 is such as to hold the valve 63 open a certain distance against the action of the spring 65, said spring serving incidentally as a governor. Upon contracting actuation of the main bellows 10 of the auxiliary bellows 47 the valve 63 will be partly closed to thus reduce the inflow of air, consequently increasing the vacuum in the main duct and increasing the force applied to the hammers to thus produce louder tones.

To shut off the valve entirely and thus producea maximum loudness of tone commonly called a crash, a suitably controlled bellows 66is provided between'the auxiliary bellows 47 and the casing, and the movable leaf of this bellows 66 carries an operating the valve pin arm. 67 bifurcated to embrace 62 and engageable with the lower adjusting nut 64 to raise the valve upon contraction of the bellows. a i

It is appreciated. that this type of vacuum and a consequent relatively high initial vacuum. The present arrangement, how ever, possesses the advantage of an exceeding sensitiveness of operation.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8 for controlling the vacuum is adapted more particularly for manually operated vacuum means, although it may of course be used equally well. with a motor procured vacuum. In these figures there is provided a governor box 68 of conventional type and including a hinged cover 69 connected to the body of the box by a flexible body 70, the bellows thus formed in conjunction with the cover and box being normally held in expanded posit-ion by a coil spring 71 secured to the cover and secured adjustably in the usual manner to a bracket arm 72 upstanding from the box. Disposed within the governor box and seated on the bottom thereof is a casing 73 spaced from the side walls and top of the box, and this casing is provided in one side with an inlet opening 7 l with which is associated a knife valve 75 pivoted to the side of the casing and connected with a cover plate 69 by a pivoted link 7 6. Extending from the casing through the bottom of the governor box is the main vacuum duct 77 of the player mechanisms and formed in the outer end of the bottom of the box is a port 7 8 communicating with the interior of the box. This arrangement constitutes in general a usual governor means for the vacuum, inasmuch as the creation of an undesirably high vacuum will collapse the cover 69 consequently closing the knife valve 7 5 to shut off the inlet port 7 ft of the casing 73.

In associating my improved dynamics controlling means with this governor arrangement, the fixed leaf 12 of the main bellows is secured to and extends laterally from a board 79 on which the governor box is mounted. The casing 7 3 is provided in its side opposite the port 74: with a second port 80 and slidably mounted on this side of the casing, preferably by the guide rods 81 is a valve block 82 and this valve block has secured to its end adjacent the bellows, a socket member 83 in which is engaged the laterally turned end of a link 84; which extends through the adjacent end Wall of the governor box and is adjustably secured by the nuts 85 threaded thereon to the laterally turned ends of a second link 86 which is in turn adj ustably secured by the nuts 87 in the aperture of a lateral finger 88 on the movable leaf 11 of the main bellows. Thus upon expanding or contracting actuation of the main bellows the port 80 will be opened or closed to consequently decrease or increase the vacuum in the main duct. For supplying a momentary accenting operation of the vacuum, the afore described auxiliary bellows L7 is provided on the movable leaf of the main bellows and is connected with a second valve plate 89 slidable on a longitudinal recess in the outer face of the main valve plate 82 and adapted to selectively cover and uncover an opening 90 in said valve plate 83. The connection of the valve plate 89 and the operating arm 4:8 of the auxiliary bellows comprises a link 91 having one end passed through the adjacent end wall of the governor box and laterally turned to engage in the valve plate. The other end of this link is adjustably connected by the nuts 92 to the laterally turned end of a second link 93 adj ustably connected to the arm 48.

The bellows l7 is in the'present instance held normally in expanded relation by an expansile spring 94 disposed on the link 91 and bearing against one of the nuts thereof and against a sleeve 95 loosely mounted on the link and carricdby the lateral arm of a second sleeve 96 adjust-ably secured on the link 84: of the main bellows. Means for procuring a crash is also contemplated in the present arrangement and comprises a suit ably operated bellows 97 carried on the end of the governor box and having its movable leaf engaged. by a link 98 slidable through said end of the governor box and laterally turned for engagement with a valve plate 99 slidably held by the guide rods 81 and adapted for selectively covering and uncovering an inlet port 100in the side wall of the casing 73. The crash bellows is normally urged to expanded position by a spring 101 coiled on the link 98 and to hold the various valve lates in proper seating relation to their ports a leaf spring 102 is intermediately secured to a post projecting laterally from the casing 73 and bears at its ends against the valve plate 89 and the alve plate 99.

It is noted that the actuations of the main bellows valve, the auxiliary bellows valve, and the crash bellows valve are thus entirely independent. The auxiliary bellows valve moves with the main valve in a manner corresponding to the movement of the auxiliary valve on the leaf of the main valve.

\Vhile my improved expression controlling device is capable of most efiicient use when operated in conjunction with music rolls having slots of selectively differing lengths to thus instantly procure desired varied degrees of'expansion and contraction of the main bellows, it is obvious that my invention may be also used in connection with those types of music rolls having expression slots of one certain length and arranged in series, such rolls being commonly used in conjunction with step by step control means. In such use of my device the auxiliary bellows serves to procure intermediate degrees of loudness.

In Fig. 9 my device is shown diagrammatically in conjunction with the tracker-bar 103 of a piano and ducts 26 and 39 of the contracting and expansion valves respectively extend to end ports 104 and 105 respectively in the tracker bar. These ports are adapted for registry with slots 106 and 107 in the music roll 10S, and it is noted that these slots are of different lengths to correspond to di ferent desired degrees of expansion and contraction of the main bellows. It is further noted that the bellows may be expanded or contracted immediately at will, without the necessity of first bringing the bellows to a certain or neutral position.

A means is provided for indicating the position of the bellows at all times, this means comprising a suitably graduated symbol plate 109 carried at the front of the piano, and a pointed finger 110 slidable on a bar 110 parallel to the symbol plate. This pointer finger is connected by any suitable link and lever structure with the main bellows, or some other member positively movable upon operation thereof, in the present instance an angle lever 111 being loosely coupled to the pointer finger and being connected by a pivoted link 112 directly with the movable leaf of the main bellows.

In the foregoing description the essential feature of my invention, namely a directly and permanentlv operable expression controlling bellows has been shown in three applications, and it will be appreciated that these or any other desired applications of the device together with various minor changes and modifications of structure therein may be employed without departing in any manner from the spirit of my invention as interpreted by the accompanying claims.

IVliat is claimed 1. The combination with a music roll having two rows of slots, said slots being of varying lengths, of a tracker bar having a pair of openings therein, one opening being adapted for successive registration with the slots of each row, an expression bellows having a movable leaf, a vacuum chamber, a normally closed valve controlled passageway from the vacuum chamber to the bellows, a normally closed valved controlled passage-way from the bellows to the atmosphere, means for opening the valve of the first mentioned passage-way predetermined lengths of time to draw the movable leaf toward the other leaf of the bellows predetermined distances, means for opening the valve of the second passageway predetermined lengths of time when the other passageway is closed to admit atmospheric air to the bellows for moving the movable leaf away from the other leaf predetermined distances, said valve operating means being Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner actuated by the registration of the slots and the tracker bar openings, and means con nected with the movable leaf for operation thereby.

2. In an expression controlling device, a main bellows including a fixed leaf and a movable leaf, an auxiliary bellows on the movable leaf of the main bellows, a vacuum duct including a port, a valve plate slidable over said port, means connecting the valve plate and the movable leaf of the main bellows, a second port in the valve plate, a second valve plate slidable over said second port and means connecting said second valve plate and the auxiliary bellows.

3. In a device of the class described, a governor box having an inlet, a casing within the box and having a pair of inlets communicating with the interior of the box and an outlet, a top hinged to said box and con nected thereto by a flexible body whereby to form a bellows, a valve for controlling one of said inlets in the casing, said valve eing connected with said top for operation there by, a second valve for controlling the other inlet into said casing, said valve having an inlet port communicating with the interior of the box and the casing, a valve plate slidable over said inlet port, a bellows, a connection between said bellows and the second valve, an additional bellows, and means connecting said additional bellows with the valve plate slidable over said inlet port.

4:. In a device of the class described, a governor box having an inlet, a casing within the box and having a trio of inlets communicating with the interior of the box and an outlet, a top hinged to said box and connected thereto to form a bellows, a valve for controlling one of said inlets in the easing, said valve being connected with said top for operation thereby, a second valve for said valve having an inlet port communicating with the interior of the box and the casing, a valve plate slidable over the inlet port, a first bellows, a connection between said bellows and the second valve, a supplemental bellows, means connecting said supplemental bellows with said valve plate slidable over said. inlet port, a third valve for closing the other inlet in the casing, an addi tional bellows, and a connection between said additional bellows and the third valve. In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. CLARK.

Witnesses:

JAMES C. ARTHUR, FRANK S. RATOLIFFE.

of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

105 controlling a second inlet into said casing, 

